


Ceremony

by rainier_day



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Feywild, M/M, Mild Horror, Unexpected marriage, widomaukweek2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 05:09:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19100347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainier_day/pseuds/rainier_day
Summary: Caleb trails off, not wanting to consider the alternative.“Or?”“Or the stories my mother used to tell me about children being spirited away to the Feywild are true.”





	Ceremony

**Author's Note:**

> Day 3: Formal Event
> 
> lol idk it's a very formal event okay? it started out as them running to caduceus and getting mistaken for an eloping couple and getting married by accident and the punchline was going to be their officiator joining their party. idk how that led to this

“Come on, don’t slow down now, Caleb!”

The hand clutching his tightens as he struggles to keep up. They’re running through the forest where they made the mistake of bedding down for the night.

Having travelled well past dusk, Molly had volunteered to scout around their site to ensure its safety and he decided to tag along to keep the tiefling company as a small little indulgence to himself. So the two of them walked, and they talked, and they quickly found out that the area was, in fact, very unsafe.

He chances a glance back.

With the moon hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, there’s nothing lighting the terrain. But even through the darkness, he can see the glowing eyes and dark shadows of vicious beasts still bounding after them.

They have to get back to the camp and warn the others.

But first, they have to survive.

Rounding a bend, they press on through a thin layer of shrubbery only to find themselves in a clearing not too far from a large manor. Molly skids to a halt and looks around in bewilderment. “Where are we?”

Hearing the beasts behind them, still giving chase, Caleb runs forward, pulling the tiefling along by the hand.

The two of them end up at the front door of the manor, Molly looks apprehensive but turns the knob and finds it unlocked. Quickly slipping inside and shutting the door behind them, they hold their breaths and wait to see if the beasts try for the door.

A minute passes.

Then two.

Nothing.

Caleb lets out a sigh of relief and finally turns his attention to the building’s interior. The halls are warmly lit with torches and grand paintings of indiscernible faces hang and great tapestries hang off the walls. Although the decor is on par with every wealthy household he’s ever seen, something about it seems off.

It’s only when he reaches into his pocket for his copper wire that he notices: he can’t tell which way is north.

Frowning, he tries to snap Frumpkin to his side.

Nothing.

He steps back and starts inspecting their surroundings a little more closely.

“Is something wrong?” Molly whispers. “Besides everything about this situation, I mean.”

He nods. “I don’t know where we are.”

Crimson eyes blink. “We’re in a mansion in the middle of a forest full of bloodthirsty beasts.”

“Nein, I mean I cannot tell what way we’re facing and I cannot find my cat. Maybe there’s magic involved or,” Caleb trails off, not wanting to consider the alternative.

“Or?”

“Or the stories my mother used to tell me about children being spirited away to the Feywild are true,” he mutters grimly. “We should look around. Try not to touch anything, Mollymauk.”

Molly glances down, his lips quirking up. “Besides you, you mean?”

Following his gaze, he sees that he hasn’t let go of the tiefling’s hand yet. Quickly releasing his grip as if burned, he looks away to hide the flush on his face. “Sorry.”

He gets a strange look for his actions but pushes it aside in favour of exploring the mansion. As they search, Molly suddenly gestures down one of the corridors where the sound of cheering can be heard.

They creep down the hall towards the last doorway, open and bright. As they get closer, he can hear music and the sound of people feasting.

Peering in, Caleb can see a man and a woman standing at the head of the room, dressed in ceremonial garb. They’re standing hand in hand with cups raised to toast their guests, who are all seated in rows and rows of great dining tables.

It doesn’t register at first, but as Caleb scans the room again, he sees that none of the people inside have faces.

Next to him, Molly sees this as well and takes a step back, fear and surprise colouring his face. As he backs up, he bumps into a cabinet, tipping one of the candlesticks over. It barely makes a noise as it falls over, but at once, everything goes silent.

In the room, all the figures freeze, their faceless heads slowly turning towards the doorway. And although they appear to be nothing more than blank slates, he can tell that they’re _snarling_.

Without waiting, Caleb grabs Molly’s hand and _runs_.

They race back down the hall and up the stairs in search of a place to hide. Down the hall, he can hear dozens of wooden limbs hitting the stone floor giving chase.

On the second floor, they duck into the second door and find themselves in a large, immaculately decorated bedroom. Thinking back to the hallway, he can see that everything down to the folds of the curtains are inhumanly symmetrical.

“Where can we hide?” Before he can answer, Molly yanks him towards a wardrobe. Throwing the doors open, the tiefling ushers him inside before stepping in and closing the doors.

The wardrobe proves to be a tight squeeze for the two of them. Wedged uncomfortably behind Molly, he shifts to the side to give himself a little more room, resulting in his face pressed up dangerously close to the tiefling’s neck.

Caleb exhales and feels Molly shudder against him.

During this brief respite, he does his best to not think about how close they are—to not think about how Molly can probably _feel_ his heart threatening to burst from this terrible mix of being too close to the tiefling and waiting for their deaths to burst through the door at any moment.

Outside, they can hear artificial limbs clacking against the wooden floors and hold their breaths.

He almost thinks they’re safe when the footsteps continue down the hall, but then suddenly, there’s a click.

The door swings open with a quiet squeak, too perfect of a sound to be anything but fabricated, and footsteps enter the room—three…no, four of them altogether.

The footsteps disperse around the room as if making a show of searching for them. Molly tenses against him as one of them approaches the wardrobe.

It jiggles the knob for a moment before throwing the doors open, revealing a faceless figurine holding a butcher knife.

As the wardrobe flies open, Molly leaps out, sending the wooden doll back with a kick. With both swords in hand, he eyes the four figures and waits for them to make the first move.

Caleb frowns and quickly casts Haste on the tiefling.

Molly glances back and nods.

The closest figure, still wearing the bride’s ceremonial gown, launches itself at the tiefling.

Hissing, Molly runs a sword over his neck, giving it a radiant glow, and slashes twice.

Following suit, Caleb sends a Magic Missile at the other three, keeping them at bay for now.

The wooden dolls circle around them and the bride tries attacking again, swiping down with its cleaver, its blank canvas of a face somehow contorting into a scowl.

Molly winces as the blade catches him in the arm even in his sped up state. Stepping back, he lunges forward with both blades and twists to swing his glowing sword for an extra attack.

An eerie stillness overcomes the room as the bride’s head topples off and rolls some distance away from its body, which collapses to the floor a mere moment after.

_“Oh **dear**.”_

They both look around the room in bewilderment for the source of the voice.

Suddenly, there’s a bright flash of light.

Caleb shields his eyes and when he looks back, he finds himself back in the entrance of the manor.

Mollymauk is nowhere in sight.

Frowning, he spins around, looking for any indication as to where the tiefling may have gone but everything is as immaculate as when they first entered. He’s ready to run back upstairs when he senses a presence to his side.

“Oh _dear_ ,” the voice repeats.

He turns to see a tall, slender man with long tawny hair and unnaturally bright eyes watching him. The man emanates _power_ and Caleb immediately straightens his back and narrows his eyes in an attempt to hide his fear. “Where is he?”

The man cocks his head with a bemused smile. “Why, he’s right here.”

Caleb looks behind him to see a Molly in a glass case slowly being filled with sand. The tiefling looks panicked and scared as he pounds at the walls, trying to keep himself on top of the sand.

His heart twists at the sight.

“Release him!” he snarls.

Iridescent eyes turning to him, the man shakes his head. “Everything comes with a price. He interrupted my beautiful ceremony and decapitated my bride, so it’s, how do you say it? A life for a life.” Waving a hand offhandedly towards the door, he says, “You can go if you wish.”

He shakes his head. “I am not leaving without him.”

The man smiles grimly. “Then I’m afraid you’ll simply have to be disappointed.”

Behind him, the glass case continues to fill and the sand is now well past Molly’s knees. Panic begins seizing his own heart as he watches the tiefling struggle.

Running through his extensive list of spells for something that might free Mollymauk, he fails to notice the door opening a fraction behind him until he hears a meow.

Caleb whirls around to see his cat sitting in front of the door, his eyes watching the man, unblinking and focused.

The man arches a brow in interest. “Oh? Hello. It’s been a while.”

Frumpkin meows again and starts chittering.

“What kind?”

Another meow.

Arms lowering, the man turns to him and asks, “Are you betrothed then?”

He spares a glance over to his cat who merely stretches and yawns. “Nein, we are not.”

“But you would give your life for him?” the man presses.

Considering those words and recalling what he knows about the fey, Caleb carefully replies, “I would spend the rest of my days with him.”

Stroking his chin, the man nods to himself. “A good answer. Very well then. Perhaps we can work something out.”

With a snap, the glass case disappears and Molly appears in front of him, his eyes still wide with fear. Up close, he can see tears streaking his face and quickly taking hold of the tiefling’s hands, Caleb steps forward to reassure the other, “Mollymauk, it’s alright! It’s just me!”

Molly’s gaze darts around the room once more before honing in on him, his breathing shallow and erratic. “Caleb?”

“Ja, it’s me. You’re alright. You’re going to be alright, Mister Mollymauk,” he says even as his mind tries to make sense of the situation. “Breathe with me. You’re out now.”

Inhaling sharply, Molly nods blindly and takes a deep, shaky breath. “Yeah, okay. I’m not—I’m out. I was—I was somewhere bad. Caleb…”

Weak, trembling fingers squeeze his hands and all he can do is squeeze back. “Ja, I know. I saw. I will not let you go back there.”

“Oh, that’s darling,” the man coos with a smile on his face. He turns to Frumpkin and says, “Very well, you’ve convinced me. Let’s give it a go.”

He furrows his brows. “Wha—”

Turning to the two, the man suddenly appears in front of them and throws a handful of powder in the air. There’s a blinding flash and a burst of magic. “There. It’s done. I’m a little surprised it worked. _But_ , a deal is a deal, and a ceremony for a ceremony.”

Caleb blinks and suddenly, the crowd of faceless dolls are lined on the stairs, all clapping and cheering for them. He and Molly look to one another in confusion.

“I would offer to throw you a feast in celebration but I doubt you would take me up on it,” the man continues.

“Nein, please, we just want to return to our own realm to our friends,” Caleb answers.

Waving him off, the fey merely says, “How dull. Very well, leave here and take the path to your right. The beasts should be gone. Take care to not slip into our realm anymore, little mortals.” Looking down at Frumpkin, he says, “Come, let us celebrate their marriage in their stead. It shall be _glorious_!”

They watch the figurines file back down the hall to the banquet hall where at once, the sound of revelry continues. Frumpkin looks back and meows at them before turning and following the man to the feast.

Left alone, Molly turns to him, still fearful but now more confused than panicked. “Caleb? What the fuck just happened?”

“I don’t know,” he replies, “but we should leave while we still can.”

Not letting go of Molly’s hand, the two of them exit the mansion and easily find the right path. After a short walk through the woods, he feels a change in the air. The static of _magic_ is no longer all around and the forest becomes as serene and quiet as when they first entered with the rest of the group.

“I think we’re safe now, Mollymauk,” he says. “Are you alright?”

“Not even a little. Give me a sec.” Molly collapses onto the ground with an audible groan. Sitting cross-legged and bringing up his free hand, he asks, “Does your finger feel warm, Caleb?”

Finally letting go, Caleb brings his own hand up in wonder. There’s a faint warmth there that hadn’t been there before. It wraps around the base of his ring finger and he feels a wave of panic wash over him. “I apologize, Mollymauk. I do not know what kind of deal Frumpkin made on our behalf, but I said I would spend the rest of my days with you and he—”

A hand slaps his knee lightly. “Caleb, _breathe_! You saved my life, I don’t know what you’re apologizing for.”

“He _wed_ us,” Caleb blurts, inhaling deeply. “We are _married_ , Mollymauk. I have read about spells like this but I have never seen it performed before.”

“…you said you would spend the rest of your life with me?” Molly asks, his eyes curious.

“The rest of my days, ja,” he mutters. “I am sorry.”

Molly cocks his head to the side. “Why are you sorry?”

Staring at the other in disbelief, he says, “Because you did not want this—want _me_. If you had a choice, you would not have—”

“Caleb, does this spell require the participants to be willing?”

He thinks back and eventually nods. “Ja, both must be willing to be bonded…oh.” Looking up in bewilderment, he asks, “Then…you also…?”

A little bashfully, Molly shrugs. “I was hoping to buy you a drink first but I guess eloping to the Feywild and almost dying is one way to do it.”

“I would also not be averse to getting a drink in the next town,” Caleb mutters, shoulders finally easing up a little and dropping.

He’s rewarded with a soft laugh. “You and me both. Hey, Caleb, give me your hand.”

Caleb looks down and lowers his hand.

Molly takes off one of his rings and slides it on his ring finger. It’s a simple silver band with an intricate moon and little stars etched into it. Smiling, Molly nods to himself. “There. Perfect.” Clearing his throat, he announces, “I, Mollymauk Tealeaf, take you, Caleb Widogast, to be my fey-officiated husband and all that other stuff. Now your turn.”

Digging around his pockets a little frantically, he pulls out some of his silver wire. “I’m afraid I don’t have a ring to give you, Mollymauk, but,” he gets down on one knee and wraps the wire carefully around the tiefling’s finger, “this will have to do for now. That, and the promise of a drink.”

“And the rest of your days,” Molly reminds him, admiring the wire.

“And the rest of my days,” he repeats. “And ‘all that other stuff’.”

Laughing, Molly leans forward and asks, “I’m going to kiss you now, husband. Is that okay?”

Caleb nods. “Ja, I would like that very much, husband.”

\--

“Where the fuck’d you two go? Nott tried messaging you and got nothing,” Beau greets them when they finally return to camp.

Caleb immediately begins walking towards his tent to find Nott, leaving Molly to handle Beau. “You know how sometimes you’re walking through the woods and then suddenly you’re suddenly being attacked by faceless dolls and then come back married?” he hears. “I guess it was just one of those days. You should’ve been there, though. The ceremony was _beautiful_.”

“Molly, that is the single dumbest lie you’ve ever told me,” Beau says and then looks to Caleb as if expecting some sort of explanation.

He merely shoves his hands into his pockets and shrugs. “You heard Mollymauk. Please excuse me, I need to get Nott.”

She frowns and turns back to Molly. “Did he just play along with your dumb joke? What the hell did you do to Caleb?”

Molly laughs. “I married him!”

Thumb running idly over the engraving of his ring, Caleb smiles to himself and walks off.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Possible spoilers ahead!  
>  **Bad Ending:**
> 
> The magical effects from the spell wear off about a week after but one thing never fades: the little band of warmth he feels around his finger whenever Molly is near.
> 
> It doesn’t take long to adjust to it, which is why he doesn’t notice right away when it goes cold even though Molly’s _right there_.
> 
> After Glory Run Road, Caleb’s ring finger goes numb.
> 
> **Xhorhas Ending:**
> 
> He’s going over his spell when Essek arrives at the house. They go through their usual discussions about magical theory and how it applies to dunamancy when suddenly, the drow glances down and arches a brow. “Oh? That’s unexpected. You’re spoken for?”
> 
> Caleb glances down at his hand and the silver band still there on his finger with its intricate moon and little stars. Running a hand over the etching, he shrugs. “Ja, I guess I am.”
> 
> **??? Ending:**
> 
> Caleb is just wandering through the streets of Rosohna having returned from the Marble Tomes Conservatory when he feels _something_. It’s something he hasn’t felt in a very long time—something he never thought he’d feel again.
> 
> Bending his fingers, the band of warmth is faint at first but undeniably _there_.
> 
> He takes off in a run.
> 
> **Alternate Ending:**
> 
> Caleb and Molly never make it out of the Feywild because the archfey decided to do his own rendition of the marriage speech from the Princess Bride.
> 
> The End.


End file.
